Red Cricket Alphabet
by Ana the Romantic
Summary: Twenty six, 100 word drabbles about our favorite wolf and cricket. RedCricket, of course.


**A/N**: Hello again! So, I find the lack of Red/Cricket fiction disturbing. And so, I fill my time with one word prompts and make 100 word drabbles under each. It is my first time doing 100 word drabbles and I hope I did it well enough. It is alphabetical, or it would never end. I tried to make it somewhat chronological, but I make no promises. I hope you guys like it! I may do an actual fanfiction with plot and everything upcoming with these two, but we will see what happens. Happy reading as always, dearies!

**A/N 2**: I went back and fixed up a few of the mistakes and typos in the fiction. Just wanted to re-post the good version.

**Disclaimer**: I do not the characters or original plot of Once Upon a Time. I am just writing with the characters, no profit, so please no sue.

**Red Cricket Alphabet**

Abandonment

In a land of magic and wishes she was still an outsider. A throwaway if she was ever found out. Wolf in human clothing- or a human in wolf? Granny wanted her to be human, abandon and cage the wolf. Anita wanted her child to be the wolf she was. Snow accepted her for who she was, but a friend's acceptance cannot heal what she was. A wolf and a human. Then he came along, hopping into her life, umbrella and all. Even as a stranger, he asked her to be herself, and that's all he'd ask her to be.

Beckon

Ruby Lucas was the star of the diner. Women envious, men flocked to her charm… and shorts. That isn't what drew him to her. It wasn't her straightened hair, made up face or flashy attire. It was something deeper, something hidden beneath the surface she fooled others with. Taunting flirts and attention grabbing attire was not the real Ruby. Archie wasn't sure how he knew this, but he knew it to be true. As if he knew her before this life when they were both very different people. She beckoned him not with her body, but with her memorable soul.

Challenge

No hot blooded man has ever brushed off her advances like him. She flirted over the menu, he asked about the specials; a flutter of her eyelashes, he asked her to get her eyes checked. She even strutted by in her 'barely there' shorts and he continued to read the files on either side of his sandwich. She thought that he was gay- until she caught him staring. She wasn't waltzing- showing off. She was just thinking. She caught him and he blushed as he turned back to his files. Ruby never had a challenge quite like Doctor Archie Hopper.

Deep

Never one to back down, Ruby kept a tight watch on Archie Hopper when he came into the diner. She greeted him, took his order, tried a flirting wink or brush of hands and delivered his meal. She would get a blush or a shy greeting in return, but nothing that made her knees grow weak. In all honesty, it made her frustrated and slightly attracted. She had to know what made the guy tick. The first time she sat down and actually talked to him, she found that he was a lot deeper than just "the shrink with glasses."

Eyes

Her eyes changed just as the rest of her did every full moon. From a light gray to a bright yellow signaled the coming of the wolf. Ruby saw it the nights when the moon was full and she dreamt of blood and death. She would see a flicker of a change in the mirror after he washed off the mask she wore at the diner.

She mentioned it to Archie one day, "Do you sometimes look in your eyes and not recognize them?"

He would smile and lean over toward her to whisper, "All the time."

She smiled back.

Free

Since Emma tore them from normality and threw them into their haunting memories, Red ran. She ran from her past, from Peter and what she had done. She would feel the chains of the past fall under her thundering feet- her wolf finally free to run under the full light of the moon. She stopped running one night and found that once you stop, everything catches up. She cried and fell, shackled once again. A hand suddenly pulled her up.

She shook her head at the face, "We aren't free, Jiminy."

He would give a sad smile, "Not _yet_, Red."

Green

Red had always had a thing for the color she was named after. Maybe it was fate; maybe a joke that her parents made before they left her. Whatever the reason, she still loved the hue. It was always featured somewhere in her clothing, usually in her more modest tops she took to after the curse was broken. It was part of who she was. She looked up as the diner bell welcomed another guest. The very human Jiminy Cricket entered with a smile directed at her and she couldn't help thinking that green was starting to grow on her.

Hunt

She remembered the hunt, the thrill of the chase. Feet pounding the ground after the pray. It would run in circles, trying to keep its distance, only to lose more ground to the cunning of the predator. The greatest hunts were when the pray would fight back; useless, but none the less entertaining and exhilarating. It was a great challenge. Tonight was no different. She had cornered her quarry and moved in for the kill. Her lips finally covered his and as she felt him give in, Red knew that Jiminy Cricket was the best prize she has ever won.

Instinct

These were the moments she did not miss. The pacing and the over thinking. The wolf always brought out the worst in her. Her instincts ran high during the full moon. The wants of the wolf over riding her human senses at unfortunate times. The need to hunt, to run, to be free, and… to find a mate. She regretted the call as soon as she made it. He would come over only because she asked. She didn't know what the wolf would do. She just hoped he would live past the night. No, she would make sure he did.

Jump

Over the past month Jiminy became accustomed to Red's eccentrics. He also had come to know her fears and nightmares as he was the only one outside of Granny she told. Of course, he comes straight over as soon as she calls him. He didn't know for sure if it was her wolf half, or if it was just Red, but as soon as he knocked on the door, she jumped at him and nearly through the door. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled. No matter when or why, he always looked forward to her jump toward him.

Kids

"So, now that you're together and all… when are you going to have kids?"

It was an innocent enough question from an equally innocent Henry Charming, but that didn't stop poor Jiminy spitting out his coffee all over the table.

"It's a bit early, we're not even married!"

"I don't think that we have thought that far ahead," Red laughed good naturedly.

"I don't know," Jiminy coughed the last of the coffee out, "I would love to have a few pups running around that aren't Pongo."

Both Henry and Jiminy laughed loudly as Red was the one to blush brightly.

Liar

Red sat with a blood red martini in her hand and Belle across from her with a long island iced tea. The two women faced one another in companionable silence after Red laid it all out. She and Jiminy had their first fight, over something so miniscule she couldn't remember what it was. Belle asked Red what she was really mad about. He had _apologized_ about being wrong, even in a fight, he refused to lie. He never would and she couldn't help but think that single fact would always make her the liar out of the two of them.

Morning

Both Doctor Hopper and Jiminy Cricket secretly hated mornings. Especially early mornings…with an unknown and unexplored passion. He hated the waking up; the groggy feeling with feet dragging to the office for the first wave of patients. He always dressed half awake and sometimes wondered if his socks even matched most of the time. Coffee was a good start, not to mention his girlfriend serving him the toasty beverage on his way out the door … but if he got the opportunity to wake up to her every day, like today, he could see himself start looking forward to them.

Notice

On the weekends when she didn't have to go into the diner until much later in the day and he didn't have any patients lined up, they would spend a good portion of the day curled up on his couch by the warm fire, watching classic black and white movies. During these times of comfortable companionship, his lips would be against her hair, her head on his shoulder. She would notice the real color of his eyes and the laugh lines around his mouth when he laughed and discovered herself in love with him. For things she never noticed before.

Omen

Every month she would look up at the full moon in her wolf form and hear herself whine at the shining orb. Would she lose control again? Would she resort to her cloak? She looked over her shoulder to see Jiminy walk toward her and sat down next to her, ignoring her warning growl for the moment. He only smirked and held a hand toward her. Her eyes narrowed for a moment and hesitantly pushed her head against his palm. They both looked up at the moon and, for once, she thought that maybe it could be a good omen.

Poison

Once establishment of the relationship spread through Storybrooke he found that there were people who thought that it was their duty to warm him of the dangers of Red. Most had to do with her wolf side, but he knew she controlled it well. Others warned him of her wandering ways, and she had shown him time and again that the wandering died with the first curse. Once, someone warned that she was poison. As he looked at her from his booth at the diner and she shot him a smile, he swore he was ready to die by consumption.

Quiet

Red never talked to anyone about her full, true past save for Granny and Snow. Still stuck in their old world and home, Snow was not an option to turn to. Red sat one night on Jiminy's couch and stared out the window as he finished cleaning up the dishes from dinner. The stars shone brightly above as the new moon rose and she felt him sit behind her before he wrapped his arms around her. She immediately began rattling on and releasing every tightly held secret to him without him asking. He sat quiet and held her without judgment.

Ribbon

Jiminy sat down, sliding into the seat across from David before Red sat his usual cup of coffee down. He smiled as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before scampering off to deal with the next customers.

"Did you notice something about Red?" David asked.

"What do you mean?" Jiminy asked and turned his head sharply to Red as she danced from table to table. He shrugged and raised an eyebrow at David.

David pointed to his own head and when Jiminy looked back he finally noticed the green ribbon that she had tied in her hair.

Scar

Red never liked to show fear, especially in front of those who knew how to use it against you. She kept everything deep down and tried not to hate herself for it more. All the horrors of the past that still haunted her- even in waking hours- did not show on her face or in her actions. Those deepest of emotional scars were saved for her to lick on her own. Until he took her in his arms and whispered for her to share everything with him. Safe and protected, she finally had the courage to show him her scars.

Taste

Jiminy had lived a long life before he had even heard of Red Riding Hood. He had traveled far and to many lands by Gepetto's side. He had partaken of many meals and desserts, all of which had their own unique flavor and taste. And as Gepetto grew older, Jiminy took to his own adventures to bring back and educate his ward with. All through these adventures he never found that perfect taste. As his hand curled in Red's hair and her hands gripped at his collar, he knew that he would never find a more perfect taste than her.

Ultimatum

They stood facing each other in his living room, trying to find a flinch that the other would give. She had given him an ultimatum. He had to take a couple of days off a week, no matter whom and no matter what the situation is. He needed his rest too, and he was too damn helpful that he didn't think that it was right. Now, hands on hips and lips pursed, they faced off. She suddenly smiled with a shake of the head, "Damn it, Jiminy. This is why I love you."

He hugged her, "I love you, too."

Voice

He could never fully understand magic. Even if Rumplestiltskin decidedly took him by the hand and ran through the most elementary of magic and spell books. He didn't understand curses or blessings or which were which half the time. What he did understand was Red, more and more each moment, day, week and month. This last month, he didn't know if it was because he was a cricket back in the Enchanted Forest or if her family's legacy worked in mysterious ways, but he still heard _her_ voice crystal clear as she sat in front of him as the wolf.

Wrong

In every town there was the line of gossips that felt it was their sole mission to relay anything and everything to their sisters in tongue waggling. Red had heard them go on about her and Jiminy. How he was much too old and experienced to be with such a young and horribly misguided girl. How she just didn't know how to be with one man and never had been for as long as they knew her. She would tell him how 'everyone' seemed to say they were wrong; they would both laugh because they knew they were so right.

X-rated

"I really don't think that this is necessary, Red," Jiminy said as she dragged him toward a building he never thought of entering before. Red had it in her mind that Jiminy, the living conscience, needed to be corrupted.

"Don't worry, Jiminy, I won't let anything happen to you," she chuckled and walked through the door with him still in her grip. They perused the aisles; at least she did, while he kept his eyes to the ceiling. She picked up a title and shoved it in his hands, "Here, just the x-rated movie to start you off."

"… Red."

Yes

He was looking for one word, one answer. He was down on one knee, in the privacy of his living room, with the small box held in hand, holding the hope that she would speak. His eyes shining up from behind his round glasses waiting for the one word. The one word that would make her… his. He slowly stood up and took a deep breath as he closed the case and put it back in his pocket. There was only so much practice to do, and he wasn't going to be late. He was looking for one word: Yes.

Zoo

Granny had always been proud of Red. Now Red stood at a podium, dressed in white and faced the only man that loved her for all that she was and is. A smile spread on Red's lips that seemed to be reflected in her groom's cheeks. He still blushed after all this time. The ceremony drew to a close, everyone cheered as they took their first kiss as husband and wife. Granny shook her head at the kiss. When they have a child, which doesn't seem too far off, she could tell even now that it will be a zoo.


End file.
